Partners at the Palliative Care Association of Zambia (PCAZ) have emerged as a leading advocate for promoting national palliative care standards and policies in Zambia, thanks in part to a Twinning Center partnership with the Uganda-based African Palliative Care Association (APCA) that was funded from 2005 - 2010.
In September 2010, PCAZ began receiving direct funding from the Twinning Center to continue their efforts to strengthen palliative care throughout Zambia.
The main objectives of this ongoing program are to:
- develop organizational and human resource capacity of PCAZ staff;
- promote best practices in palliative care; and
- create broader awareness through expanded advocacy and information dissemination efforts.
As of October 2011, PCAZ has ushered in many positive changes in the country. Key accomplishments include the development of a morphine fact book for Zambia and resource material on morphine use, as well as a chapter on pain management for the NAC Care Treatment and Prevention guidelines.
PCAZ also spearheaded the development of the Palliative Care National Strategic Plan and co-authored an article on palliative care that appeared in both the Zambia Daily Mail and Times of Zambia, which coincided with the 10th African Growth and Opportunity Act.
In addition, PCAZ developed the country’s first draft Pediatric Palliative Care Curriculum, which was piloted through a training-of-trainers course for 15 health professionals.
AIHA established a Learning Resource Center (LRC) at PCAZ in 2011 to provide staff and other parties with access to a wide range of evidence-based resources, research, and other material that can help strengthen palliative care throughout Zambia.
In the coming year, partners will focus on developing data quality management tools to strengthen their services to hospices and facilitate palliative care sensitization workshops for hospice and clinic workers. They will also finalize the Palliative Care National Strategic Plan. Other planned activities include strategic planning development trainings to enhance hospice capacities and their visibility through clearly documented plans, as well as a new focus on economic strengthening through a pilot project that will ensure better recognition of palliative care providers, who are the unsung heroes of the health system.
Updated November 15, 2011
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